IBIOE Newsletter Vol. 3

Call Me Doctor®
fellow LaToya McDonald was the first person in her family to go to college.
Now, she’ll be the first person in her family to be called “Doctor”. McDonald
began her journey to a PhD in July 2011 as she commenced her research with
cancer cells and biomechanics under the mentorship of IBIOE collaborative
researcher and Clemson University Bioengineering professor, Dr. Delphine Dean.

McDonald grew up in Columbia, SC, where
she developed an early interest in engineering and math. By the time she was in
ninth grade, she was taking senior calculus classes surrounded by all
upperclassmen. “I loved math in high school and just always knew I wanted to be
an engineer.” After high school, McDonald traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina
to study at St. Augustine’s College where she graduated with a Bachelor of
Science degree in Engineering and Mathematics in May 2010.

It was there at St. Augustine’s College
where McDonald became interested in the biomedical field when there she joined
a group called the Minorities Accessing Research Careers Undergraduate Student
Training in Academic Research (MARC*U*STAR) which is funded by the National
Institutes of Health. She worked for two 10 weeks sessions, including one
summer session at the University of South Carolina where she studied cryo
preservation of deer mice oocytes, and another summer session at the University
of Wisconsin where she helped develop and test properties of cancellous bone
surrogates.

It was during these research experiences
that she developed an interest in biomedical research. “I knew I wanted to do
something that helped people and with bioengineering I said, ‘Yes, this is for
me.’”

Participating in an IBIOE community
service project or a K-12 project related to her studies is a component of the
program that McDonald looks forward to most. During college, McDonald regularly
volunteered to tutor children at a Mary E. Phillips High School, an alternative
school in Raleigh, NC and she has volunteered many hours with KaBOOM!, a
non-profit organization that builds playgrounds across the country for
underprivileged neighborhoods. Community engagement activities are the icing on
the cake. “I love community service. Anyone who knows me knows how I love
giving back to the community.”

As an IBIOE Call Me Doctor® fellow,
McDonald now enters the next phase of her research environment and sees a
bright future awaiting her. “I’m excited and nervous, but also eager to see
what lies ahead for me.”